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Author's Chapter Notes:
Here's chapter two for you, sorry abut the delay. Hope you like it. Thanks to my beta, Nichole. As always, I don't own any of the characters.
Chapter two


Sunnydale, present time


Spike pulled the cover over his head to get rid of the incessant knocking. Why wouldn’t whoever it was at the door just go away? It was Sunday for heaven’s sake, and he had the worst hang over.

Cautiously he peeked out from under the cover and saw that it was a little after ten. Who the heck would be here this early?

Realizing that whoever it was wasn’t planning on going away any time soon, he got out of the bed, pulling on a pair of sweats as he made his way to the door.

“What?” He growled, opening the door to reveal Willow. “Red, what in the name of all that is holy are you doing here at this hour?”

“Good morning to you too!” Willow replied brightly, pushing past him into the apartment.

“Emphasize on morning.” Spike mumbled, walking past his friend to get to the kitchen and some much needed coffee.

“Late night?” Willow asked innocently following him into the kitchen. Spike just glared at her. “Guess so.”

“Good guess.” Spike responded, sitting down on one of the chairs, pouring coffee into a cup. “Want some?” Willow shook her head.

“I’ve already had my caffeine dosage for the day.”

“So that’s why you’re so hyper.” Spike observed. It was common knowledge in their gang that Willow and caffeine were not to be mixed.

“Part of it, yes.” Willow nodded, suddenly looking guilty.

“What did you do?” Spike asked, narrowing his eyes. After eight years of friendship he could read the red head like an open book.

“Nothing... really.” Willow replied. “I actually came over to... not warn you, but... give you a heads up.”

“About what?” Spike asked, though he had a feeling in the pit of his stomach what she was talking about.

“Buffy’s coming to visit.” Willow said, holding her breath as she waited for his response.

Spike felt one of the strangest emotions he had ever experienced. On one hand, joy and excitement was rushing through him, but on the other he felt the pain he had come to associate with the girl he had once loved more than anything in the world.

“OK.” He decided to stick with a simple reply. “When is she coming?”

“I’m not sure, she had to talk to her boss first, to get time off. A week or two, I think.” Willow watched every change of expression on Spike’s face. “And don’t try to tell me you’ve planned a trip to England or anything, cause I know you haven’t.” Spike frowned.

“Why would I do that?”

“I don’t know, it was just something Buffy said.” Willow said. “She didn’t want me to tell you she was coming, she thought you’d leave town or something.”

“No, I’ll be here.” He said, thoughts wandering. Why would he avoid her? She was the one who had left, after having ripped his heart out and stomped on it.

“Great.” Willow said relieved. “Could you try to act surprised when you talk to her, though?”

“Sure thing, Red.”

“OK. I’m gonna let you get back to sleeping, or whatever. I have to meet Tara for breakfast.” Willow gave Spike a kiss on the cheek before she headed for the door. “You gonna meet us at the Bronze later?”

“Don’t I always?” Spike said, walking Willow to the door.

“See you at around sevenish, then?” Spike nodded and Willow left.

Spike closed the door behind his friend and leaned his forehead against the cool wood. So she was coming back. The familiar stab of pain returned, and Spike closed his eyes, letting memories take him over.


Sunnydale, 1997


It was the first day of his senior year of high school at Sunnydale High. Though he had been going to the same school for three years, he felt like it was his first day, and in a way it kind of was. During the summer, he had broken up with Dru after finding out she had been cheating on him, and this morning had only confirmed his suspicion that his former friends would turn their back on him, leaving him an outcast.

Sighing, he started walking to his locker to drop his heavy books before going to get some lunch. In spite of his bad boy image, he didn’t cut classes or hate school. He loved reading, especially poetry. Not that he would ever tell anyone about that little hobby.

Opening his locker, he put his books in his back pack and closed the door, turning to head to the cafeteria when someone caught his eye. A new girl. And she was absolutely beautiful.

“Hey, pet, you must be new.” Spike said, approaching the girl. She raised her eyebrows at him.

“Uh, not really.” She replied, opening her locker, which was directly opposite his.

“I think I’d remember seeing you.” Spike tried to compliment.

“I really don’t think you would.” The girl replied from inside her locker.

“Well, if you let me look at you I might figure it out.” The girl sighed and turned, leaning back against her neighbors locker. Spike stared for a moment, not quite able to place her. “I know I’ve seen you before, just not completely sure where.” He admitted.

“Try glasses, braces and brown hair.” The girl replied, turning back to her locker.

Spike quickly did a mental scan of the girls of the school, stopping at a name.

“Buffy Summers.”

“And he gets it right on the first try.” Buffy said sarcastically, slamming her locker shut and starting to walk away from him.

“Hey, wait up.” Spike hurried after her.

“Why?” Buffy said, stopping and turning to face him. “So you can make fun of me?”

“I’ve never made fun of you.” Spike tried to defend himself.

“Well, not you personally, but your friends certainly have.”

“Sorry about that.” Spike said.

“Oh, well that just makes everything better, doesn’t it?” Buffy huffed.

“No, it doesn’t, but I’d like to try to make it up to you.” Spike offered. Buffy eyed him suspiciously.

“Why?”

“Let’s just say I wanna get to know you better.” Spike raised and eyebrow at her. “What do you say?”

“Oh, fine.” Buffy surrendered. “I guess everyone deserves a second chance... or fifth, or whatever you’re up to by now.”

“Great.” Spike started walking down the corridor, Buffy beside him. “You going to lunch.”

“Yeah.” She nodded. “But I’m meeting Xander, Willow, Anya and Oz, so...”

“What, you don’t want me to come along?” Spike asked.

“No, it’s just, I didn’t think you’d want to be seen with us.” Buffy said.

“I don’t have a problem with Red or the Whelp, Oz and I go way back, and Anyanka can be... refreshing.”

“Well, that’s one way of putting it.” She said, laughing.

They entered the cafeteria and Buffy spotted Willow, Oz, Xander and Anya sitting at a table.

“Hey, Buff.” Xander greeted, then he spotted Spike. “What’s he doing here?”

“Xander, play nice.” Willow ordered. “Hi Spike.” She smiled at him.

“Hey Red, Oz, Xander, Anya.” Spike replied, sitting down beside Buffy.

“So, what brings you to the unpopular side of the cafeteria?” Xander asked.

“I can’t sit with whoever I want?” Spike asked.

“Not legally.” Xander responded. “What happened to the Goth club?”

“You can say we... parted ways.” Spike decided to say.

“Oh, did wittle Spikey lose all his friends?”

“Well, yes, but I also wanted to get to know Buffy better.” Spike replied.

“Oh really? Hey, Buffy, nice look by the way.” Xander said, really looking at Buffy for the first time.

“Yeah, Buffy, what brought on the makeover?” Willow asked.

“Stop staring at her!” Anya ordered and slapped Xander on the arm.

“Well, I was staying at my cousins, you know Faith, in LA, and I just thought it was time for a change.” Buffy shrugged, twirling a strand of her newly blond hair around her finger. “Do you like it?”

“You look great, sweetie.” Willow said. “Of course, you did before, too.”

“So, we’re Bronzing it tonight?” Xander intervened and everyone nodded.

Spike watched the display between the four, and couldn’t help but think that it had never been like that when he had spent time with his and Dru’s friends.


Sunnydale, present time


Spike tried to shake the memory of that day off as he went onto the balcony to have a smoke. It was almost eight years ago, but it could just as easily have been last week. He could still remember the way Buffy had looked, how she had smelled and what kinds of feelings she had brought to him. When he looked back, he knew that was the day he had fallen in love with her.

So she was coming back. He could handle that. Or at least he hoped so.





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